Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition

Tata & Howard is

working with communities in central Massachusetts under a project

funded by a Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) Grant. Of more than 120 applications received, this

stormwater project was one of few that was fully funded, which demonstrates the importance of the work and the value to the region. Tata & Howard moderated several workshops with participating communities to determine the most essential tasks for this project as well as the critical content of each task. Based on the needs identified by these workshops, 11 key tasks were implemented in year one, detailed below, all of which are directly related to stormwater. With a budget surplus, seven additional tasks were developed to complete year one work. This project, which is supported by MassDEP, DCR, Blackstone River Coalition, and many others, is highly regarded in the industry. Municipal participants in the first year CIC Stormwater Grant included the following 13 communities:

In year two of the project, 17 expansion communities committed to participate. With 30 communities now in collaboration, 12 new tasks were identified and are currently being completed. Year two of this project has been partially funded by an additional grant. The 17 expansion communities are as follows:

Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition

Sturbridge

Spencer

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yelduD

Webster

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Leicester

nrubuAMillbury

Paxton

Holden West

Boylston

WORCESTER

Shrewsbury

Hardwick

Brookfield

NortheraW

Palmer

Monson

Southbridge

Wilbraham

Rutland

Sterling

Boylston

Northborough

Westborough

Grafton

UptonNorthbridge

2012 Grant Communities 2013 Grant Expansion Communities

Uxbridge

Hopkinton

AuburnCharlton Dudley HoldenLeicester

MillburyOxford PaxtonShrewsbury Spencer

SturbridgeWebsterWest Boylston

BoylstonGraftonHardwickHopkintonMonsonNorthbridge

NorthboroughN. BrookfieldPalmerRutlandSouthbridge Sterling

UptonUxbridgeWareWestboroughWilbraham

Tata & Howard understands

that the stormwater compliance

environment is changing.

In year one of the project, Tasks 1-18 were completed: Task 1: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) TemplateThe objective of the SWPPP template is to provide a frame-work satisfying the required regulatory components for good housekeeping and pollution prevention at municipal facilities, with the flexibility for each municipality to pro-vide detailed site descriptions, where needed.

Task 2: Develop a Methodology to Reach a Common BenchmarkTata & Howard developed fifteen Standard Operating Pro-cedures (SOPs), which provide consistency for the commu-nities to complete and document common procedures for inspections, monitoring, and operation and maintenance of the stormwater system.

Task 3: Training and Outreach MaterialsAfter identifying key training needs, Tata & Howard devel-oped educational materials which include four training modules:

• General Review of the MS4 Permit Program Educates municipal officials on the requirements of the 2003 Massachusetts MS4 Permit program

• Stormwater 101 Teaches volunteer groups and the average resident within the community about stormwater

• Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Instructs Public Works or Highway Department employees and other municipal staff members

• Standard Operating Procedures Explains the 15 SOPs developed under Task 2

Task 4: Develop an Educational WebsiteTata & Howard assisted with an educational website, www.CentralMAStormwater.org, which includes materials specifically developed for target audiences as well as inte-grated tools that help measure the effectiveness of each component.

Task 5: Develop a Sump Pump Discharge PolicyTata & Howard developed a Sump Pump Dis-charge Policy that provides a framework for the partici-pating communities that are considering connecting sump pumps to the storm drain system.

Task 6: Develop a Salt/Sand Application CalibrationTata & Howard developed a process providing a roadway treatment calibration approach that maintains safe condi-tions while reducing chloride loading to surface waters.

Task 7: Develop a Stormwater BMP ToolboxTata & Howard has completed a summary of stormwater tools (i.e., stormwater Best Management Practices [BMPs], appropriate for single-family homes and small develop-ments). We recommended stormwater BMPs that should be accepted in each community, specifically those that are most readily applied to single-family homes or small resi-dential or commercial developments that may not reach the current USEPA post-construction BMP trigger of one acre of disturbed area.

Task 8: Develop a Request for Proposals for General Consulting ServicesTo benefit the communities over the long term, Tata & Howard developed a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a va-riety of field stormwater services, including outfall inspec-tion, dry- and/or wet-weather monitoring, catch basin in-spection, catchment delineation, and mapping.

Task 9: Develop Online Database for Data ManagementTata & Howard has developed a database with PeopleGIS that allows all members of the CMRSWC to store the results of a variety of types of inspections, enabling all members of the group to view the work and inspections completed by the other members.

Task 10: Integrate Stormwater System Mapping Tata & Howard worked with PeopleGIS to incorporate all mapping completed by the 13 CMRSWC communities into one online system that is accessible to all communities.

Task 11: Facilitation and CoordinationCoordination and communication between the CMRSWC, private vendors and contractors, and Tata & Howard is key to the success of this project. Tata & Howard also led and scheduled the Steering Committee meetings and provided the meeting minutes.

Task 12: Cost/Benefit Analysis of a Regional Stormwater Laboratory

An analytical labo-ratory at the site of a former waste-water treatment facility in Millbury has the potential to serve as a regional stormwater labora-tory that may ben-

efit the CMRSWC and other adjacent communities once the new Massachusetts MS4 Permit is finalized. This task examined estimated cost and revenue of the proposed laboratory based on the requirements anticipated in the new Massachusetts MS4 Permit. This task also identified alternatives in the area to the potential regional laborato-ry, including commercial laboratories and the laboratory at the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District.

Task 13: Develop a Drainage Extension Approach that Mirrors Inflow Data and PrioritiesThe initial scope of work of the CMRSWC included develop-ment of a Sump Pump Policy as well as a Private Drainage Standard Operat-ing Procedure. Both documents include technical criteria for CMRSWC to evaluate when considering granting approval to residential and/or commercial users to connect such private drainage into engineered storm drain systems within the MS4. However, this approach is not effective in areas without engineered storm drain systems. Task 13 developed a process to con-nect pieces of data managed by multiple departments within a community for the benefit of all departments, spe-cifically merging knowledge of areas where high inflow has been identified but where no engineered storm drain sys-tem exists. This knowledge will facilitate the extension of the engineered drain system, within the parameters of the Sump Pump Policy and the Private Drainage Standard Op-erating Procedure, to reduce inflow to the sanitary sewer while protecting surface water quality.

Tata & Howard tailors stormwater compliance

programs for each client using our extensive

knowledge of stormwater program needs.

Task 14: Develop Facility-Specific Figures for Incorporation into the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) TemplateThe initial scope of work of the CMRSWC included develop-ment of a SWPPP Template, which could be used by any community for any municipal facility or activity. However, due to its nature, the SWPPP Template task did not include the development of community specific site plans for in-clusion in the SWPPP. Task 14 included the development of up to 20 facility specific site plan figures, provided both electronically and in hard copy.

Task 15: Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Documentation PacketFormal documentation that specifies how illicit discharges are detected and what department or person is responsible for ensuring elimination remains a substantial challenge to many MS4 communities. This task clarified USEPA’s minimum IDDE requirements and incorporated appropri-ate existing IDDE Plans and materials by reference. More importantly, the task provided a framework for people in multiple departments to understand each person’s re-sponsibilities, encourage cooperation and communication toward a single objective, and provide templates for docu-menting observations, actions, and compliance.

Task 16: Purchase/Set-Up of Leica CS25 VivaTata & Howard assisted in the purchase of two Leica devices, coordinated the data plan required, and arranged for installation and setup of the PeopleGIS SimpliCITY sys-tem on the new devices.

Task 17: Ongoing Website Maintenance and Development The initial scope of work of the CMRSWC included the development, design, and implementation of an educa-tional and outreach website. Five members of the Steer-ing Committee were trained on the website’s Content Management System (CMS). Tata & Howard continued to be involved in administration of the CMRSWC website to keep it up to date with regulatory updates and training and educational events that were of interest to the group’s members, as well as other pertinent information.

Task 18: In-The-Field Training on PeopleForms with Tablet DevicesThe initial scope of work of the CMRSWC included the development of an online inspection database for tasks including dry weather outfall inspection, wet weather outfall inspection, construction site inspection, and many more. The initial scope also included the purchase of ASUS Transformer Infinity TF700T tablet devices (and associated wireless data plans) for each community which are used to implement these ongoing inspection tasks. T&H provided hands-on training for members of the CMRSWC with these devices.

The second year of the CIC Grant Project includes the following tasks:Task 19: Incorporate New Community Data into Integrated MappingThis task involves collecting existing stormwater infra-structure data that is in various GIS formats from the 17 new communities, converting it to the proper format, and uploading the data to the CMRSWC’s Integrated Mapping Database and appropriate PeopleForms with the assis-tance of PeopleGIS. Discrepancies and errors are reported to the corresponding community.

Task 20: Implement Tasks 1-7 for Expansion CommunitiesTwo 4-hour workshops held by Tata & Howard teach the implementation of Tasks 1-7 to the expansion communities.

Task 21: Implement Addendum Tasks 12-18 for Expansion CommunitiesA workshop held by Tata & Howard assists expansion com-munities on the implementation of Tasks 12-18.

Task 22: Purchase Tablets, Including Case and Service, for Expansion CommunitiesThis task involves the purchase, organization, and program-ming of computer tablets for the expansion communities.

Task 23: Provide PeopleGIS Training to Expansion CommunitiesThis task involves coordination with the expansion com-munities and PeopleGIS to organize a training session on using the Integrated Mapping Database and PeopleForms.

Task 24: PeopleGIS Support for Expansion CommunitiesCoordination between the expansion communities and PeopleGIS to provide Year 2 support for the Integrated Mapping Database is included in this task. Tata & Howard will continue to coordinate questions from the new com-munities about the system, provide recommendations to PeopleGIS, and coordinate mapping tasks.

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MULBERRY

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Data Sources: Urbanized Areas from US Census Bureau(2000). Political boundaries from MassGIS. Hydrographyfrom NHD. Transportation data from GDT at 1:24,000.Map Created: 11/12/02; US EPA- New England GIS CenterL:/projects/stormwater/phase2/matowns/new/

NPDES Phase II Stormwater ProgramAutomatically Designated MS4 Areas

0 0.4 0.8 1.2Miles

Leicester Town Boundary

Regulated Area (2000 Urbanized Area)

Area of Focus:

Leicester, Massachusetts

Town Population: 10,471Regulated Population: 7,980

Tata & Howard assists communities

in maximizing their limited stormwater funds.

Task 25: Expand Integrated Mapping with Additional InfrastructureFor the original 13 communities, this task consists of the conversion of additional stormwater infrastructure data to the proper format and the addition of the converted data to the mapping database. Each new component, including stormwater manholes and pipes, involves the creation of a PeopleForm and the addition of the new infrastructure to the mapping database.

Task 26: Expand and Enhance the CMRSWC WebsiteExpanding and enhancing the website includes training on the website management system, regular updating of the website with CMRSWC accomplishments, and adding information and recommendations from relevant outside groups.

Task 27: Complete Field Work Using the Stormwater Field Services RFPThis task involves the modification of the RFP developed during Y ear 1, solicitation of bids, guidance during the bid process, and recommendation of a responsible contractor to complete the work.

Task 28: Feasibility of Storage and Transport Equipment Trailer PurchaseEvaluation of an appropriate trailer to store and transport the CMRSWC’s existing water quality equipment and any future equipment is included in this task.

Task 29: Training on Water Quality SamplingTask 29 consists of pro-viding training on the CMRSWC’s water qual-ity sampling equipment to all member commu-nities, including field training on the ASUS computer tablets to the new member commu-nities.

Task 30: Industrial Stormwater (MSGP) ReviewThe technical contact in each community will be provid-ed with a current list of all facilities that have obtained an MSGP and facilities that require but do not have an MSGP, along with type of industrial facility as classified by the EPA.

Task 31: Facilitation and CoordinationCoordination and communication between the CMRSWC, private vendors and contractors, and Tata & Howard is key to the success of this project. Tata & Howard leads and schedules Steering Committee meetings and provides the meeting minutes.

Founded in 1992, Tata &

Howard, Inc. is a specialized

water, wastewater, stormwater,

and hazardous waste consulting

engineering firm. We have

a reputation for consistently

delivering cost-effective,

innovative project solutions by

working as a cohesive team with

our clients.

In addition to our experienced project team, all of our projects undergo independent technical reviews by senior staff not directly associated with the project. Internally, our success is driven by a team atmosphere that provides technical and administrative support to all levels. By providing an excellent, service-committed work environment and utilizing strong educational and mentoring programs, we have experienced a low turnover rate as well as professional liability claims that are among the lowest in the industry. Our clients benefit through continuity of service and in-depth knowledge of their needs and requirements.

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